Latest News
All News Posts
- Metallic balloon safety for all times during the year
- The Power Surge: Factors driving the rising demand for electricity
- Manager Connection-Grid Improvements
- Roetman, Kjersten volunteer to assist recovery efforts in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa
- MISO says power grid ready for winter, but stresses risks remain
- Great River Energy board approves 2026 budget and rates
- Wilson retiring from Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric, Nordahl promoted to member services manager
- 2026 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., scheduled June 15-20
- Manager Connection – Record Capital Credits
- Board of directors approves record retirement of capital credit equity
- Steele-Waseca awarding $1,000 scholarships to high school graduates in 2026
- SWCE EV Chargers: 28 cents/kWh
- What to do when you lose power
- Remember electrical safety when decking the halls
- One stop online shop for all things electric
- Empowering the next generation in the energy sector
- Manager Connection: Concern for Community
- PowerOn Midwest open houses wrap up across southern Minnesota
- Great River Energy’s E3 Commercial Financing Program brings value to communities
- Faribault data center clears review amid Twin Cities growth
- Nuclear Power: Facts and Myths
- Air source heat pumps provide year-round comfort that is efficient and cost-effective
- Manager Connection: Town Hall Meeting Questions
- 2026 Nominating Committee appointments announced
- Steele-Waseca members pose questions during town hall meetings in Owatonna
- Neurons boost grid capacity
- Four best bets to stay cyber safe
- Manager Connection: Member-Owned Co-ops
- Is your dual fuel system ready for cold weather?
- Cold Weather Rule notification
- Consider adding a home power station to your outage toolbox
- Sending a child to college? Discuss safety first
- Unlocking the full potential of renewables with batteries
- Sparking an interest with Cooperative Careers Camp
- Manager Connection: Employees form the infrastructure of the cooperative
- Late July storms cause 1,300 outages in Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric’s service territory
- Steele-Waseca among southern Minnesota cooperatives celebrating 10 years of landmark acquisition
- Three smart home technologies to help you save energy
- Annual meeting donor appreciation
- Manager Connection: Summer Energy Consumption
- Schwab reflects on career with Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric
- Moving soil
- Lithium-ion battery safety on flights
- Midwest grid operator projects sufficient generation capacity
- SWCE awards 17 scholarships in 2025 to high school graduates
- Manager Connection: Addressing Annual Meeting Questions
- Two new directors elected by mail-in ballot announced at Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric’s 89th Annual Meeting
- SWCE board of directors and corporate services
- SWCE Annual Meeting, 89 years lighting the way
- Beyond weather: Key drivers that determine load control events
- Great River Energy: Powering what’s possible
- Get energized about a career in energy!
- Manager Connection: Director Elections & Annual Report
- May is Electrical Safety Month
- Annual Cogeneration Notification to Membership 2025
- Electric Cooperatives PAC cites success in 2024
- Districts 2, 4 & 6 Board Candidates 2025
- Federal action not likely to impact local energy bills
- Schwab retires from Steele-Waseca
- Manager Connection: annual meeting & mail in ballots
- Auto Pay Members: sign up for SmartHub starting May 5
- Annual meeting details, voting with the mail-in ballot
- Great River Energy, ITC Midwest and Xcel Energy move forward with Upper Midwest’s first 765-kV electric transmission backbone
- Minnesota Nuclear Energy Alliance calls for end to nuclear moratorium to secure clean energy future
- No foolin’: April is safe digging month
- Lineworker Appreciation
- Manager Connection: Outages
- Steele-Waseca board candidates for 2025 announced by co-op’s Nominating Committee
- Wrapped in savings with proper insulation
- “War of the Currents” assembly at Medford School
- Manager Connection: Dual Fuel
- After nearly 37 years, Don Bos retires from Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric
- Soil Health Winter Workshop Highway 14 tour stop coming to Owatonna Feb. 18
- MISO predicts adequate resources to meet winter demand
- MISO approves historic portfolio of high-voltage electric transmission lines
- Manager Connection: WMA Increases
- Residential rebates for co-op members in 2025 announced by Steele-Waseca
- 2025 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. scheduled June 16-21
- Data center site in Faribault fetches $4.5 million
- Manager Connection – Electric Sources, Planning and Looking Ahead
- Wholesale provider Great River Energy increasing rates in 2025
- Steele-Waseca expands qualifications for awarding $1,000 scholarships to high school graduates in 2025
- Non-Discrimination Statement
- Prevent holiday fires by practicing safety around your home
- Options for paying your Steele-Waseca electric bill
- Manager Connection: Capital Credit Equity Retired
- Steele-Waseca board of directors learn of co-op’s line crew assistance in South Carolina and Florida
- New record established with retirement of capital credit equity approved by SWCE board of directors
- SWCE dump truck for sale
- Steele-Waseca among electric co-ops sending lineworkers to aid power restoration after Hurricane Helene
- Fire extinguisher safety
- Members updated on co-op activities during four town hall meetings in Owatonna
- Manager Connection – Transmission Line Projects
- 2025 Nominating Committee appointments announced
- Roetman reflects on power restoration experience in Jamaica
- SWCE Sends Line Technicians to South Carolina – WCCO Reports on Delegation
- Growing rooftop solar scams prompt action from government, co-ops
- Is your dual fuel system ready for cold weather?
- Go above and beyond for a safe harvest
- Cybersecurity tips for a safer digital world
- Manager Connection: Co-op Community
- Roetman volunteers to help rebuild electric service in Jamaica
- Cold Weather Rule Notification
- Beginner’s guide to the electric grid
- Paving the Way
- Manager Connection: Benefits of Electricity
- Steele-Waseca utilizes Great River Energy contribution to benefit six community organizations
- MREA perspective on state’s completed legislative session
- Manager Connection: Rebates
- Youth Tour experience in Washington, D.C.—“unforgettable”
- Field of Heroes
- Grid project: drone installation
- Twins Community Fund Youth Baseball Clinic
- Members on dual fuel program: updates
- Downloading the SWCE app
- Move over for flashing lights—it’s the law
- 18 scholarships awarded to high school grads
- 88th Annual Meeting Recap
- Mail-in ballot results announced at 88th annual meeting
- Steele-Waseca’s 2024 Nominating Committee
- Five common myths about how to save energy at home
- Richter to represent Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric in Washington, D.C., for the 2024 Youth Tour
- Hydro power generation project
- Integrated resource plan gets OK from Minnesota PUC
- Great River Energy: Powering what’s possible for Steele-Waseca
- Heat pumps offer benefits for consumers, the environment
- Manager Connection: Annual Review of the Co-op
- Steele-Waseca annual meeting reminders
- Mail-in ballots are on their way
- SWCE 2024 board of director nominees
- Steele-Waseca implementing time-of-use rate May 1
- Gopher State One Call
- Annual Cogeneration Notification to Membership
- Tips to help you find and correct electrical hazards around your home
- Manager Connection: 88th Annual Meeting Details
- Steele-Waseca annual meeting details with first year of mail-in ballots
- Are you covered if your electronics sustain damage after an outage?
- National Lineworker Appreciation Day is April 8
- Manager Connection – Your Trusted Energy Advisor
- Board candidates for 2024 announced by Steele-Waseca’s Nominating Committee
- What can we expect from the legislature in 2024?
- What does it mean when you see the Energy Star® label?
- Residential rebates available to members in 2024
- Manager Connection – Tree Trimming Benefits
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric seeking assistance to locate former members
- Expanding the grid while maintaining reliability, resiliency
- Manager Connection: Cost of Power Increases
- Steele-Waseca board of directors approve mail-in ballot option for annual meeting voting
- Making a Winter Driving Survival Kit
- 2024 Washington, D.C. Youth Tour scheduled June 18-23
- Midwest electric system ready for winter weather
- New study reveals Minnesota electric cooperatives contribute nearly $20 billion to the state’s economy
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric awarding $1,000 scholarships to qualified high school graduates in 2024
- Manager Connection – Reliable, affordable electricity continues in 2024
- Budget, rates set for ’24 by wholesale provider Great River Energy
- Steele-Waseca installs two electric vehicle chargers
- Five ways to safeguard your home this winter
- Stan Eaton memorial plaque moved
- Grid North Partners to implement 19 transmission upgrades to reduce system congestion
- Manager Connection: $2.135 million capital credit equity approved
- Steele-Waseca board appoints Schlaak District 3 director
- New record retirement of capital credit equity approved by Steele-Waseca board of directors
- Learn how to avoid common phone utility scams
- When should you replace your water heater?
- Manager Connection: 2023 Rebates
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric announces 2024 Nominating Committee appointments
- Steele-Waseca host town hall meetings for first time since pandemic
- Spooky energy savings in the spirit of efficiency
- Electric co-ops grow for the communities they serve
- Farm Safety Field Day
- Is your dual fuel system ready for cold weather?
- Manager Connection: Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- Board Director Duane Edwardson dies at the age of 84
- Cold Weather Rule notification
- Steele-Waseca tours member businesses
- Questions to consider before installing rooftop solar
- Are you covered if your electronics sustain damage after an outage?
- GRE doubles joins nationwide electric vehicle initiative
- Manager Connection: Gopher State One Call
- Rebate check presentation-Absolute Air
- Olson pleased with line technician opportunity at Steele-Waseca
- GRE doubles commitment to pollinator-friendly habitat restoration
- Electricity: An everyday value when compared to other common expenses
- Manager Connection – Reliable Energy Created in Tree Trimming & Planned Outages
- Washington, D.C. Youth Tour, “It was an amazing trip and experience!”
- The Buzz about Pollinator Gardens: Celebrating the Significance of Pollinator Week
- Minnesota’s legislative session will impact everyone in the state who uses electricity
- Efficiency upgrades to help you save this summer
- SWCE awards scholarships to “Class of 2023” high school graduates
- Manager Connection: Annual Meeting Recap & Review of Articles of Incorporation & Bylaw Changes
- Members in attendance for annual meeting approve proposed articles of incorporation, bylaws, and elect directors
- A new PAC identity unveiled by NRECA
- SWCE Annual Meeting reminders 2023
- Nominating Committee completes duty for board of director nominees
- Klokonos representing Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric for the 2023 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.
- Great River Energy delivers on its triple bottom line in 2022
- Wacek thrilled with accounting position at Steele-Waseca
- SWCE 2023 board of director and corporate services
- Manager Connection: Annual Meeting, Articles of Incorporation & Bylaws
- Annual Cogeneration Notification to Membership
- Gopher State One Call
- SWCE 2023 board of director nominees
- Manager Connection: Annual Meeting 2023
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric preparing for 87th annual meeting
- Steele-Waseca’s Nominating Committee announce board candidates for 2023
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric representatives meet with state legislators
- Play it safe: 10 do’s and don’t when using portable generators
- National Lineworker Appreciation Day is April 10th
- Manager Connection – 100% carbon free by 2040 & National Lineworker Appreciation Day
- Generic chargers can cause serious injury
- Do you have or know someone dealing with an ice dam issue this winter season?
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric bringing back auditions for national anthem singer at co-op’s 87th annual meeting
- Heat pumps prove efficient, effective in cold climates
- Burns enjoying Steele-Waseca’s customer service representative position
- FAQ’s on Electric Vehicles (EVs)
- Energy efficiency tax credits for homeowners
- Applications being accepted for 2023 Washington, D.C. Youth Tour
- Steele-Waseca partners with Voices for Cooperative Power on legislative policies impacting rural energy consumers
- Manager Connection – Increases in Cost of Power
- Steele-Waseca announce 2023 residential rebates available to members
- 2023 Washington, D.C. Youth Tour scheduled June 13-18
- Shopping for a space heater? Choose wisely
- How electricity gets to your home, farm, or business
- Stelter reflects on new challenges as Steele-Waseca’s finance division manager
- Manager Connection – Opportunity to Serve
- Great River Energy’s wholesale rates projected to increase in 2023
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric awarding $1,000 scholarships in 2023 to qualified high school graduates
- Load Management Schedule: 11-18-22 & 11-19-22
- Five ways to fight the winter chill and save energy
- Manager Connection – Record Capital Credit Equity
- Record retirement of capital credit equity approved by Steele-Waseca board of directors
- USDA funding available for qualified individuals and families to buy or repair homes
- Minnesota co-op “spreads the word” about hybrid electric bucket trucks
- Iverson among Quilt of Valor recipients
- Dual fuel program participants encouraged to have adequate supplies of your secondary fuel source
- Wilson utilizing Steele-Waseca experience to develop division manager position
- Manager Connection – Utility Fraud
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric announces appointments for 2023 Nominating Committee
- Cooperatives handle the heat, even during the hottest times of the year
- Is your dual fuel system ready for cold weather?
- Manager Connection – National Co-op Month: Focused on You
- Four ways to boost your cyber hygiene
- Cold Weather Rule notification
- Suds and savings: 10 ways to save energy in the laundry room
- Short Circuits Issue 101: Cooperation
- Gopher State One Call
- Electric system resilient during sweltering heat
- Manager Connection – Distracted Driving
- Master Electrician Joel Dulas having an active start with Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric
- Heat pumps built for summer cooling, colder winter weather
- Seykora, Kindseth thankful for Youth Tour experience in Washington, D.C.
- Manager Connection: Rebates
- Lundberg retires after 49 years with Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric
- Grid authorities issue warnings about summer energy demand
- Top tips to stay cool and save energy this summer
- Scholarships awarded by Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric to “Class of 2022” high school graduates
- Manager Connection: Popularity of Electric Appliances & Equipment Rise
- Incumbent directors re-elected during SWCE’s 86th annual meeting
- Incumbent directors re-elected during SWCE’s 86th annual meeting
- SWCE conducting in-person annual meeting Tuesday, June 7
- June 2022 Sparks Ad Connection
- April 12 storm damage
- Your membership to affordable, reliable, responsible power
- Nominating Committee determines board of director nominees
- Fire safety training at Steele-Waseca
- GRE members elect directors; board elects officers
- SWCE 2021 annual meeting minutes
- Kindseth, Seykora to represent Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric during 2022 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.
- SWCE annual meeting reminders
- Low-carbon future comes into focus
- SWCE board of directors and corporate services members
- DeVries retires after 37-year career at Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric
- Portion of Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric members to receive survey in June
- Message to our owners by SWCE General Manager Syd Briggs
- SWCE’s 86th Annual Meeting Agenda
- KW Saves kWhs: Kitchen Appliances
- May 2022 Sparks Ad Connection
- Manager Connection – In-person Annual Meeting 2022
- Legislative Day at the Capitol
- Annual Cogeneration Notification to Membership
- 811 5 Steps for Safe Digging & Gopher State One Call
- SWCE 2022 board of director nominees
- For sale at SWCE – 06′ Dodge Grand Caravan SXT
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric prepares for in-person annual meeting
- KW Saves kWhs: Microwave vs. Stove
- 1955 SWCE Service Truck Repainted
- KW Saves kWhs: Water Heating Expenses
- April 2022 Sparks Ad Connection
- Downed and Dangerous
- Considering a home wiring project?
- April 12 storm damage
- National Lineworker Appreciation Day is April 11
- Would you like your Sparks newsletter delivered to your inbox?
- GRE members reaffirm approval of sale of Coal Creek Station, HVDC transmission system; approve Discovery Wind project
- Manager Connection – Lineworker Appreciation
- Email notifications available to SWCE members
- SWCE Nominating Committee announce board candidates for 2022
- March Sparks Ad Connection
- Let us know if you plan to build
- Great River Energy to sign agreement with Apex Clean Energy for 400-megawatt Discovery Wind
- Manager Connection – Beware of Utility Scams
- Former Steele-Waseca General Manager Donald Larson dies at age 91
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric hosts electric vehicle safety training for area fire departments
- KW Saves kWhs: Fans & Filters
- Steele-Waseca details residential rebates available to members in 2022
- Powering Up After an Outage
- Why is my bill higher in the winter?
- Be Safe
- Manager Connection – Top 5 Reasons We Love Serving Our Member-Owners
- Ensuring the electric grid can bounce back quickly
- USDA funding available to help low-income individuals and families buy or repair homes
- SWCE seeking applicants for Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.
- Behind the Scenes with Jen: National Clean Off Your Desk Day
- Heating your home accounts for up to 48 percent of your utility bill
- Electrical safety training in Claremont
- Manager Connection – Legislative Involvement
- KW Saves kWhs: Rugs & Pipes
- GRE clean energy transition brings era of rate stability
- SWCE awarding scholarships in 2022
- KW Saves kWhs: Air Vents & Smart Thermostats
- Behind the Scenes with Jen-SWCE 1936 Replica Service Truck, Bids Due
- Extension cord safety
- 10 Outdoor Lighting Tips to help you stay jolly
- USDA funding available to help low-income individuals and families buy or repair homes
- Manager Connection – Record-Breaking Capital Credit Equity
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric board approves new record retirement of capital credit equity
- Our focus is you—the member
- KW Saves kWhs: Sun in the day-Drapes at night & Bundle up
- Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric nominating committee appointments announced for 2022
- Supporting electric co-op members across Minnesota, Connexus Energy successfully challenges unlawful BNSF practices
- Manager Connection – Cooperative Principles
- Storage Water Heating Program
- Sobrack among Jay York Scholarship recipients
- Getting proper rest can make a huge difference in staying safe during harvest
- Protecting against cyberattacks
Subscribe to the Sparks newsletter and have it delivered to your email inbox!
Metallic balloon safety for all times during the year
(Courtesy: Safe Electricity) Metallic Mylar balloons are great indoors and can brighten the bleakest and most dreary winter day. They are great at birthdays, graduations, and other special occasions like the upcoming Valentine’s Day. However, you must know how to use and dispose of metallic balloons properly, or you could cause a power outage and […]
The Power Surge: Factors driving the rising demand for electricity
Courtesy: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Across the U.S., the demand for power is climbing at one of the fastest rates in decades. As the economy becomes more reliant on electricity and data centers continue to sprout up in many parts of the country, electric cooperatives are preparing to meet the challenges that skyrocketing […]
Manager Connection-Grid Improvements
General Manager Syd Briggs We at Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric are proud to be approaching our 90th year of service as your local power provider where our goal has always been to keep the electricity flowing as safely and consistently as possible. Our mission use to simply be “keep the lights on,” and then our society […]
Roetman, Kjersten volunteer to assist recovery efforts in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa
Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric Field Technician Gabe Roetman and Line Foreman Kevin Kjersten spent early December volunteering in Jamaica with recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa in October 2025. They left for Jamaica early, Dec. 1, and returned to Minnesota late, Dec. 19. Roetman and Kjersten joined other National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) volunteers from U.S. […]
MISO says power grid ready for winter, but stresses risks remain
(Courtesy: Great River Energy) The regional grid operator recently held its annual Winter Readiness Workshop, which featured transmission and generation outlooks as well as weather forecasts for the upcoming season. The assessment shows adequate resources are available for winter but highlights the potential risks and challenges associated with cold and extreme weather operations. “Having a […]